Revised Staff Report, PC 10-007
Public Hearing 6/06/2011
MULTNOMAH COUNTY
LAND USE AND TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM
1600 SE 190TH Avenue Portland, OR 97233
PH: 503-988-3043 FAX: 503-988-3389
http://www.multco.us/land-use-planning
REVISED STAFF REPORT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION
FOR THE
PUBLIC HEARING ON JUNE 6, 2011
REVISE CHAPTER 29 ACCESS AND FIRE FLOW STANDARDS
CASE FILE: PC 10-007
PART I. INTRODUCTION
This staff report proposes amendments to the County’s fire flow and fire apparatus access code to reduce
conflicts with the current Oregon Fire Code, and to improve implementation of fire regulations in rural
Multnomah County. The Oregon Fire Code has altered the fire flow requirements and established fire
apparatus access standards for rural fire districts. It is not necessary for the County to have these
standards as they are no longer alternative standards under the building code and apply to all properties
proposing development requiring building permits. In addition to bringing county fire regulations into
conformance with the state fire code, the proposals staff includes here are intended to streamline the
permitting process by eliminating duplicative regulations and by relying on each structural fire service
agency to implement fire protection regulations in accordance with their expertise and equipment.
Planning staff has coordinated with the various fire service providers via meetings and emails to
understand their needs in implementing the Oregon Fire Code. In May 2010 and April 2011, the
Planning Commission held work sessions on updating the Fire Apparatus Access and Fire Flow
requirements for compliance with the current Oregon Fire Code (OFC).
At the last work session, the Planning Commission discussed the various options planning staff had
developed to achieve conformance with the Oregon Fire Code. Fire Chief Tom Layton from Rural Fire
Protection District #14 (Corbett) answered Commissioner’s questions and outlined his and other fire
agencies goals for the update. The following direction was given to planning staff on the three areas
proposed for updating.
FIRE PROTECTION SERVICE
Fire service within unincorporated Multnomah County is provided by two types of fire agencies.
Undeveloped properties are protected from wildfire by the State’s Department of Forestry (DOF).
DOF’s Protection From Fire Program's main purpose is to protect 15.8 million acres (24,900 square
miles) of private and public forestland from fire. For properties with development, structural fire
protection services are provided via local fire service agencies such as Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue or
Scappoose Rural Fire Protection district. Unfortunately, some properties are not located within any of
our Structural Fire Protection agencies’ boundaries and cannot be served by contract. Planning staff and
Commissioners discussed the two options for these underserved properties at the last work session. The
Planning Commissioners considered both options and recommended that we allow development on
properties that are outside of a district provided the project meets the Oregon Fire Code. The Oregon
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Public Hearing 6/06/2011
Fire Code has alternative means available in it for these types of properties. Alternative means of fire
suppression may include year-round ponds, storage tanks, fire sprinklers, etc.
Fire Flow & Access Standards
Presently Chapter 29, Building Regulations includes requirements for adequate water (fire flow) to put
out a fire in your dwelling and roadway/driveway standards for fire apparatus access. These standards
have been in effect since the mid 2000s. Since the adoption of the County’s standards, the State of
Oregon has adopted the Oregon Fire Code that provides similar standards for all development but in
some areas it is more restrictive. Planning staff discussed with the Commission members whether the
County should maintain its own standards or rely on the Oregon Fire Code. The act of streamlining to
only the Oregon Fire Code appealed to the Commission members.
This staff report is organized into the parts listed below.
II. Changes to Chapter 29, Building Regulations
III. Changes to Commercial Forest Use Zones
The alterations in Part II will amend Chapter 29 only. The alterations in Part III are shown for the
CFU-2 zone only, but will also amend the CFU-1 & CFU-5 zones in Chapter 33, CFU-3 & CFU-4 zones
in Chapter 35 and the CFU zone in Chapter 36.
PART II. CHANGES TO CHAPTER 29 BUILDING REGULATIONS
The following language reflects the Planning Commission direction for amending Chapter 29 for
consistency with the Oregon Fire Code:
CODE = PROPOSED CODE LANGUAGE
DELETE = DELETED CODE LANGUAGE
MCC 29.003 ADOPTION OF STATE BUILDING CODE BY REFERENCE.
(A) Those portions of the state building code constituting the structural specialty code, fire and life
safety code, mechanical specialty code, and the one- and two-family dwelling specialty code, are
adopted and by this reference incorporated as part of this subchapter. The provisions of this
subchapter shall take precedence over the similar provisions of the state specialty codes.
(B) Prior to land use review, the applicant shall demonstrate that the proposed development is in
compliance with the most current version of the Oregon Fire Code. Documentation of compliance
shall be on forms provided by the Planning Director. Depending on the location of the parcel, the
following agency shall review:
(1) A property served by a residential fire service provider shall have the proposed development
reviewed by the fire official serving it.
(2) For properties located outside of the boundaries of a residential fire service provider, the
property owners shall provide to Land Use Planning, evidence that a request for residential fire
service has been made to the appropriate fire district. If residential fire protection is not
available, alternative means of fire protection may be authorized by the applicable building
official in accordance with the Oregon Fire Code.
(B) Except as modified in (C) below, the optional portion of the 1997 Uniform Building Code
constituting the Division II-Fire Flow standards in Appendix Chapter 9 are adopted and by
reference incorporated as part of this subchapter as the requirements for determining fire flow for
buildings constructed under a building permit issued after October 16, 2004, or for those portions of
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buildings constructed under a building permit issued after October 16, 2004, that are “substantial
improvements” to existing buildings. “Substantial improvements” mean the addition of more than
50 percent of the floor area to buildings that existed on October 16, 2004. For one- and two-family
dwellings the floor area in “substantial improvements” does not include garages or attic spaces.
(1) As provided in Section 910 of Division II – Fire Flow, fire-flow requirements may be
modified downward or upward only upon approval by both the building official and the fire
chief. The building official shall be the official currently under contract for providing building
permit issuance services. The fire chief shall be the current chief, or delegate, of the fire district
or city that provides fire services to the property.
(2) As referenced in Section 913 of Division II – Fire Flow, standards for fire department
access and required fire hydrants shall be the applicable fire codes in the unincorporated area of
the county, except as modified by the fire apparatus means of approach standards in § 29.012
and the alternate methods of fire protection in § 29.013.
(3) For properties within fire protection service districts that have adopted more stringent fireflow standards than contained in Division II—Fire Flow, Appendix Chapter 9, of the Uniform
Building Code, the more stringent standards shall be utilized. In that circumstance, the fire
chief’s authority for administering the fire-flow standard shall be as given in the district’s
ordinances.
(4) In recognition that Section 910 allows for fire-flow modifications, particularly in rural areas
or small communities, section § 29.003(C) below is a less restrictive modification of those fireflow standards that is appropriate for and shall apply to the unincorporated areas of Multnomah
County that are outside of any city limits where a greater fire-flow standard has not been
adopted by the local fire protection provider.
(C) Notwithstanding any other fire-flow requirement in Division II—Fire Flow, Appendix Chapter
9, the fire-flow requirement and exception in subsection 912.1 “One- and Two-family Dwellings”
shall be modified to require a minimum 500 gallons per minute for dwellings that are less than
3,600 square feet in floor area (excluding garages and attic spaces) and accessory buildings and
garages that are less than 3,000 square feet in floor area (either detached or attached to the
dwelling).
The continuous fire-flow standard of 500 gallons per minute at the dwelling may be met by water
flow and volume available from public water lines or by other water supply sources in conformance
with standards in the 1999, or most current edition, “NFPA 1142, Standard on Water Supplies for
Suburban and Rural Fire Fighting” manual. If the 500 gallons per minute fire flow standard cannot
be met from public water lines or other water supply sources, then the alternative provisions in
(C)(1) through (C)(7) below shall be used in combination to meet a credit total that equals or
exceeds 100% of the 500 gallons per minute standard.
Summary of methods to meet 100% of the FireFlow Requirement of 500 gal. per min.
I.
500 gallons per minute fire-flow is available
from public water lines or other sources in
compliance with NFPA 1142 standards [100%];
or
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II.
Utilize the tanker truck credit in (C)(1) [50%]
and any two of the following alternative credits:
• Monitored alarm in (C)(2) [25%];
• Roof materials in (C)(3) [25%];
• Defensive space in (C)(4) [25%];
• Special approval by the Fire Chief in(C)(5)
[25%]; or
III. Use all the following alternative credits:
• Monitored alarm in (C)(2) [25%];
• Roof materials in (C)(3) [25%];
• Defensive space in (C)(4) [25%];
• Special approval by the Fire Chief in (C)(5)
[25%]; or
IV Utilize the sprinkler system in (C)(6) [75%] and
.
any one of the following alter-native credits:
• Tanker truck credit in (C)(1) [50%];
• Monitored alarm in (C)(2) [25%];
• Roof materials in (C)(3) [25%];
• Defensive space in (C)(4) [25%];
• Special approval by the Fire Chief in(C)(5)
[25%].
(1) An alternative credit of 50% shall be given upon verification by the local fire protection
service provider that a water tanker truck of at least 3,000 gallon capacity is available to serve
the property;
(2) Where fire protection services are available, an alternative credit of 25% shall be given for
the use of a central station monitored smoke alarm system and the posting of a clearly visible
rural address marker where the private driveway or private road intersects with the public road;
(3) An alternative credit of 25% shall be given for the installation of Class A or noncombustible roofing shingles and the boxing in of all eaves, fascias, and soffits with fire
resistant materials;
(4) An alternative credit of 25% shall be given for the creation of “defensible space” against
wildfire around the dwelling. On ground slopes of less than 20 percent, “defensible space” is an
area 30 feet from the outside walls of a dwelling that is owned by or controlled by the
homeowner. On ground slopes of 20 percent or greater, “defensible space” is an area 100 feet
from the outside walls of a dwelling that is owned by or controlled by the homeowner. Prior to
issuance of the building permit, verification shall be required that within the “defensible
space”:
(a) Low-hanging branches of existing trees have been pruned and removed within 8 feet of
the proposed dwelling; and
(b) Low-hanging branches of existing trees have been pruned and removed within 8 feet of
the ground as the maturity of the tree and accepted silviculture practices may allow; and
(c) Existing trees are spaced with greater than 15 feet between crowns; and
(d) All other vegetation is less than 2 feet in height;
(5) In conjunction with meeting the requirements of (C)(2) above, the Fire Chief of the local
fire protection provider may approve an additional credit of 25% when particular circumstances
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warrant the credit. Such circumstances include, but are not limited to, specific fire prevention,
fire containment, or fire suppression attributes of the proposed building site, building materials,
or additional fire detection and/or suppression features.
(6) An alternative credit of 75% shall be given with the installation of a fire sprinkler system in
conformance with the standards in the 1999 Edition, or the most current version, of the NFPA
13-D, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in One- and Two-Family Dwellings
and Manufactured Homes (NFPA is the National Fire Protection Association, Inc.).
MCC 29.012 FIRE APPARATUS AND AMBULANCE MEANS OF APPROACH - STANDARDS
FOR PRIVATE STREETS AND PRIVATE DRIVEWAYS SERVING NEW AND
REPLACEMENT ONE- AND TWO-FAMILY DWELLINGS.
Private streets and private driveways shall meet the standards in this section for fire apparatus
access to new and replacement one- and two-family dwellings. The purpose of these standards is to
establish minimum criteria for evaluating the adequacy of fire apparatus access during the review of
building permit applications for proposed one- and two-family dwellings.
(1) Review and determination of compliance with the standards in § 29.012, or more stringent
standards adopted by the fire protection service provider, shall be made by the Fire Marshal or
designated fire official of that service district. If the Fire Marshal, or designee, fails to review
and make a determination of compliance, then the building official shall, after consultation with
the appropriate fire official, make a determination of compliance.
(2) The standards in this section implement the requirements in OAR 918-480-0100 through
918-480-0120 (2002), appropriate use of alternate methods of construction in the One and
Two-Family Specialty Code.
(3) An alternative to the minimum requirements of (D) below may be allowed by the building
official, after consultation with the fire official, subject to the requirements of § 29.013.
(B) As used in § 29.012, “private street” and “private driveway” shall have the meanings given in
the land division definition parts of the applicable Zoning Code Chapter of the Multnomah County
Code.
(C) A building permit application for a new or replacement one- or two-family dwelling shall
include sufficient information to determine compliance with the standards of § 29.012. A review
form evaluating the proposal and signed by the applicable fire official shall also be submitted with
the permit application.
(1) For those fire protection service districts that have adopted more stringent standards than
given in (D) below, the more stringent standards shall prevail. The signed review by a fire
district official shall state if the proposal is in compliance with the most stringent standards,
either the district or those in (D) below.
(2) Where there may be a conflict between the standards of this section and development
standards in the county Zoning Code, the more stringent standard shall be utilized. The
Planning Director shall provide this information to the building official with copies of any land
use decision.
(D) Fire apparatus access requirements. The following standards shall apply to private streets and
private driveways:
(1) Vehicle weight: Be built and maintained with an all weather driving surface that supports a
gross vehicle weight of 50,000 pounds or the weight of the heaviest commonly used apparatus
used by the fire protection service provider serving the subject property, whichever is greater.
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Bridges, culverts and other structures shall also be required to meet this requirement. Written
verification of compliance with the Gross Vehicle Weight standard may be required from an
Oregon Professional Engineer.
(2) Curve radius: Have an outside radius that is no less than 48 feet on all curves along the
driveway or private street.
(3) Vertical clearance: Have a vertical clearance of no less than 13 feet 6 inches.
(4) Width: Be built and maintained from the public road to the end turnaround near the
dwelling to a minimum unobstructed width, (including gate opening widths), of:
(a) 12 feet for a private driveway to a single dwelling;
(b) 12 feet for a private street to two dwellings;
(c) 20 feet for a three or more dwellings; and
(d) 20 feet for all “accessways,” regardless of the number of dwellings served. An
“accessway” is a private street that is a separate tract of land that is owned in common by
the abutting property owners for access and was approved under the provisions of the land
division code after October 19, 1978.
(e) The Fire Marshal, or designee, may approve an off-site built and maintained width of
less than 20 feet, but not less than 12 feet in width, for a private street as given in (c)
above. That approval, however, may not be applied to a required improvement width that
is part of a Multnomah County land use decision.
(5) Turnaround: Private streets and private driveways with lengths greater than 150 feet shall be
built and maintained with a turnaround at or near the end of not less than 48 foot outside
turning radius. Turnarounds may be circular or one of the variations of the hammerhead design
(such as “T,” one-sided, or “Y”).
(6) Turnouts: No turnouts are required on private streets and private driveways that are
improved to 20 feet or more in width as required by (D)(1) above. On private streets and
private drive-ways that are improved to less than 20 feet in width, that are also greater than 200
feet in length, turnouts shall be built and maintained to:
(a) Measure 20 feet in width for a length of 40 feet with adequate transitional curve radii at
each end;
(b) Have a maximum spacing of one-half the driveway length or 400 feet, whichever is
less; and
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(c) Where visibility is limited, the maximum spacing between turnouts shall be reduced
appropriately.
(7) Grades: Shall not exceed an overall average grade of 12 percent with a maximum grade of
15 percent for lengths of no more than 200 feet.
(8) Distance to House: Shall reach to within 150 feet of all portions of the exterior wall of the
first story of the dwelling as measured by an approved route around the exterior.
MCC 29.013 ALTERNATE METHOD OF FIRE PROTECTION - ONE- AND TWO-FAMILY
DWELLINGS.
Pursuant to OAR 918-480-0100 through 918-480-0120 (2002), the building official may allow an
alternate to the minimum requirements of the One- and Two-Family Dwelling Specialty Code as
authorized by ORS 455.610, which may include, but is not limited to, installation of an automatic fire
sprinkler system. That decision may be made where it is determined the fire apparatus means of
approach to a property or the fire fighting water supply serving a property, does not meet the local
standards adopted in accordance with the applicable fire code and state building code requirements.
Before allowing the use of an alternative method of fire protection, the building official shall ensure the
following criteria have been met:
(A) The alternate, such as an automatic fire sprinkler system, shall be at the request of the applicant;
(B) For lots of record created before January 1, 2002, the building official shall, prior to authorizing
an alternate allowing the development of a parcel that could not otherwise be developed because it
cannot meet adopted fire apparatus access standards or fire fighting water supply standards pursuant
to § 29.012 and § 29.003(B), consult with the fire official having authority to approve an alternate;
(C) For lots of record created on or after January 1, 2002, the building official shall confirm the fire
official having authority has:
(1) Approved the alternate to adopted fire apparatus access standards for shared private roads,
private driveways or fire fighting water supply standards pursuant to § 29.012 and § 29.003(B),
during the land use approval process; and
(2) The approved alternate has been recorded on the property deed or on a recorded deed
restriction as a requirement for future construction.
(D) Providing the requirements of this rule are met, the local building official is authorized to enforce the conditions of an approved alternate method of construction when it is part of the building
construction; and
(E) When the approved alternate is a fire sprinkler system, the minimum standard for installation
within one- and two-family dwellings shall be the 1999 Edition, or the most current version, of
NFPA 13-D, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in One- and Two-Family Dwellings
and Manufactured Homes (NFPA is the National Fire Protection Association, Inc).
PART III. CHANGES TO COMMERCIAL FOREST USE ZONES
In order to implement the Planning Commission’s direction of relying on the Oregon Fire Code, the
access standards contained in the Commercial Forest Use zone’s Development Standards will be
deleted. After the modification, the County will rely solely on the Oregon Fire Code for access
standards for driveways. These standards are found in Appendix D of the OFC attached here as
Attachment 3.
CODE = PROPOSED CODE LANGUAGE
DELETE = DELETED CODE LANGUAGE
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MCC 33.2261 DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS FOR DWELLINGS AND STRUCTURES
[ The same changes are made to 35.2061, 35.2261 and 36.2061]
*
*
*
(B) New dwellings, replacement dwellings greater than 100-feet from an existing dwelling, and
accessory buildings (or similar structures) greater than 100-feet from a dwelling shall meet the
following standards in (1) and (3) or (2) and (3):
*
*
*
(3) The risks associated with wildfire are minimized. Provisions for reducing such risk shall
include:
(a) The proposed dwelling will be located upon a tract within a fire protection district or
the dwelling shall be provided with residential fire protection by contract;
(a) Access roadways shall be approved, developed and maintained in accordance with the
requirements of the structural fire service provider that serves the property. Where no
structural fire service provider provides fire protection service, the access roadway shall
meet the Oregon Fire Code requirements for fire apparatus access.
(b) Access for a pumping fire truck to within 15 feet of any perennial water source of
4,000 gallons or more within 100 feet of the driveway or road on the lot. The access shall
meet the fire apparatus access driveway standards of MCC 33.2261(E) the Oregon Fire
Code with permanent signs posted along the access route to indicate the location of the
emergency water source.
(E) A private road (including approved easements) accessing two or more dwellings, a driveway
accessing a single dwelling, a Forest Practices road that is utilized as a private road/driveway
accessing a dwelling(s), or a new driveway constructed to access a replacement/restored dwelling,
shall be designed, built, and maintained to:
(1) Support a minimum gross vehicle weight (GVW) of 52,000 lbs. Written verification of
compliance with the 52,000 lb. GVW standard from an Oregon Professional Engineer shall be
provided for all bridges or culverts;
(2) Provide an all-weather surface of at least 20 feet in width for a private road and 12 feet in
width for a driveway;
(3) Provide minimum curve radii of 48 feet or greater;
(4) Provide an unobstructed vertical clearance of at least 13 feet 6 inches;
(5) Provide grades not exceeding 8 percent, with a maximum of 12 percent on short segments,
except as provided below:
(a) Rural Fire Protection District No. 14 requires approval from the Fire Chief for grades
exceeding 6 percent;
(b) The maximum grade may be exceeded upon written approval from the fire protection
service provider having responsibility;
(6) Provide a turnaround with a radius of 48 feet or greater at the end of any access exceeding
150 feet in length;
(7) Provide for the safe and convenient pas-sage of vehicles by the placement of:
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(a) Additional turnarounds at a maxi-mum spacing of 500 feet along a private road; or
(b) Turnouts measuring 20 feet by 40 feet along a driveway in excess of 200 feet in length
at a maximum spacing of 1/2 the driveway length or 400 feet whichever is less.
(8) An existing driveway currently being utilized by the habitable dwelling may be extended to
a replacement dwelling without compliance with the roadway standards above. However,
nothing in this exemption removes the requirements under the county’s Fire Apparatus means
of Approach Standards contained in MCC 29.012.
§ 33.7785 CREATION OF LOTS AND PARCELS THAT WERE UNLAWFULLY DIVIDED
[The same changes are made to 34.7785, 35.7785, and 36.7785]
This Code section provides the mechanism to review and, based upon findings of compliance with
specific approval criteria, to approve certain unlawfully divided lots or parcels. The review mechanism
to correct an unlawfully divided unit of land differs according to the date the unlawful lot or parcel was
divided as provided in (A) and (B) below, or under (C) if a land use permit was issued for a primary use.
For the purposes of this section, an “unlawfully divided” lot or parcel means a lot or parcel that, when
divided, did not satisfy all applicable zoning and land division laws.
(A) An application to create a legal lot or parcel from an unlawfully divided unit of land divided
before January 27, 1994 (eff. date of Mult. Co. Ord. 781) shall be a Category 4 Land Division and
be reviewed as a Type II process. In addition to the applicable Category 4 Land Division
requirements, the application shall satisfy the following approval criteria:
(3) Practical physical access to the site currently exists from a public road or can be provided
through an irrevocable easement or equivalent means. Practical physical access at a minimum
must meet the standards of MCC 29.012 29.003 and allow emergency vehicle access to the
building site.
PART IV. ATTACHMENTS
The attached documents contain information that is intended to assist the Planning Commission in their
evaluation of the proposed code changes to Chapter 29, Building Regulations and Chapters 33, 34, 35, &
36.
Attachment 1: 2010 Oregon Fire Code, Chapter 5, Fire Service Features
Attachment 2: Appendix B Fire Flow Requirements for Buildings
Attachment 3: Appendix D Fire Apparatus Access Roads
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Attachment 1
Attachment 2
Attachment 3